Diffusion-weighted imaging and the kinetic properties of MRI breast in the identification of breast cancer molecular subtypes

Abstract

Background: There are various molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Planning for treatment and predicting the prognosis of breast cancer all depend heavily on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Objectives: Our study aims to establish the relevance of MRI in the initial diagnosis of breast cancer and the prognosis of the disease by examining the relationship between kinetic breast MRI features and molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was another goal of our investigation, and we also intended to associate it with molecular subtypes. Patients and methods: Our investigation was cross-sectional, observational, and involved only one group assignment. This study comprised 30 female patients with newly discovered invasive breast cancer. Before starting treatment, our patients underwent MRI breast. Dynamic-contrast enhanced (DCE) and diffusion-weighted (DWI) MRI tests were performed. The kind of curve and ADC were connected to the histological results and the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Results: Sixty-six and seven-tenth percent of our patients fit the Type II curve, and 73.3% of them had hormonal receptor (HR)-positive. Different molecular subtypes and curve types did not significantly differ from one another (p=0.107). The ADC value for mass and the various molecular subtypes showed a negligible difference (p>0.05). For triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HR-negative breast cancer, the ADC value for mass was greater. Conclusion: Limited connections were found between breast MRI kinetic criteria and molecular subtypes. Therefore, more research is required to determine the function of MRI in the early detection of breast cancer.

Keywords

• breast cancer molecular subtype mri adc